Outpatient Clinical Dietitian

Lexington Surgery
Full Time
Day Shift
M-Th 8a-5p; F 8a-1p

Lexington Health is a comprehensive network of care that includes six community medical and urgent care centers, nearly 80 physician practices, more than 9,000 health care professionals and Lexington Medical Center, a 607-bed teaching hospital in West Columbia, South Carolina. It was selected by Modern Healthcare as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare and was first in the state to achieve Magnet with Distinction status for excellence in nursing care. Consistently ranked as best in the Columbia Metro area by U.S. News & World Report, Lexington Health delivers more than 4,000 babies each year, performs more than 34,000 surgeries annually and is the region's third largest employer.

Lexington Health also includes an accredited Cancer Center of Excellence, the state's first HeartCARE Center, the largest skilled nursing facility in the Carolinas, and an Alzheimer's care center. Its postgraduate medical education programs include family medicine and transitional year residencies, as well as an informatics fellowship.

Job Summary

The Outpatient Dietitian provides nutrition services to individuals in an outpatient setting for nutrition-related problems, preventative health measures, and chronic disease management. Primary responsibilities include assessing and monitoring the nutritional health of ambulatory patients; developing and implementing individualized nutrition plans; providing nutrition counseling for individuals, families, and groups; collaborating with referring physician health care teams to facilitate continuity of care at home and in the community; and maintaining professional competency and skills required for professional practice.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education: Bachelor's Degree
Minimum Years of Experience: None
Substitutable Education & Experience: None
Required Certifications/Licensure: Registered (through examination administered) by the Commission of Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association;

Current license to practice dietetics from the state of South Carolina (Please note: Registry eligible candidates may be considered with the following provisions: Must provide documentation from Commission on Dietetic Registration of eligibility status, and must complete registration exam and obtain a license to practice dietetics in South Carolina within six months of start date as a condition of continued employment)
Required Training: For Lexington Surgery Only: Certificate of Training in Obesity for Pediatrics and Adults must be obtained within one year of hire.


Essential Functions

• Demonstrates competence to provide developmentally appropriate care/treatment for the following patient population: Infant (Birth to 1 year), Child (1 year through 12 years), Adolescent (13 years through 17 years), Adult (18 years to 65 years) Geriatric (over 65 years)
• Collaborates and coordinates patient care with members of the health care team to provide appropriate care and improve patient outcomes.
• Designs and delivers patient education according to appropriate guidelines defined by departmental leadership.
• Provides group education as well as individual nutrition counseling.
• Documents nutritional care in the medical record.
• Maintains continuing education by the Commission on Dietetic Registration in order to maintain registration.
• Assists with development of department standards, guidelines, policies and procedures.
• Participate and assist in leading monthly support groups.
• Create educational content for social media platforms.
• Practice reflects best evidence, applicable laws, and other regulatory standards in the provision of nutrition services.
• Performs the key functions of the nutrition care process according to policy.
• Uses accurate and relevant data and information to identify nutrition-related problems. (Nutrition Assessment)
• Identifies and labels specific nutrition problem(s) that will be addressed in the plan of care. (Nutrition Diagnosis)
• Identifies and implements planned interventions with the intent of changing or improving a nutrition related behavior, risk factor, or condition. Interventions may include patient education. Identifies patient goals/outcomes. (Nutrition Intervention)
• Monitors and evaluates data directly related to the nutrition diagnosis, goals, and interventions to determine progress made in achieving desired outcomes of nutrition care. (Nutrition Monitoring and Evaluation)
• Applies knowledge and communicates effectively with others.
• Demonstrates knowledge related to clinical dietetics practice.
• Communicates and applies sound scientific principles, research, and theory.
• Shares knowledge and information with patients, families, and health care team members, and serves as a preceptor and guides dietetic interns/students in the application of nutrition knowledge and skills.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Contributes to the development of new knowledge and services.
• Uses resources effectively and efficiently in practice.
• Utilizes system practice guidelines, references, and the nutrition care manual in the provision of nutrition services.
• Considers safety, effectiveness, and cost in providing and delivering nutrition services and products.
• Engages in lifelong learning.
• Conducts self-assessment to identify strengths and weakness at regular intervals.
• Identifies needs for professional development.
• Develops and implements a plan for professional growth.
• Adheres to ADA Code of Ethics.
• Applies research findings and best available evidence into practice.
• Applies Service Excellence/Expectations to professional practice and is accountable for conforming to policy.
• Demonstrates an optimistic, enthusiastic, professional, career oriented demeanor and is a positive role model consistent with the hospital mission and vision.
• Demonstrates understanding of dress code.
• Demonstrates excellent customer service toward patients, families, caregivers, and peers.
• Demonstrates dependability and reliability when completing assignments.
• Demonstrates reliability by conforming to attendance policy.
• Observes safety and sanitation rules and regulations.
• Maintains a clean, comfortable work environment.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

We are committed to offering quality, cost-effective benefits choices for our benefit eligible employees and their families:

• Day ONE medical, dental and life insurance benefits
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs)
• Employees are eligible for enrollment into the 403(b) match plan day one. LHI matches dollar for dollar up to 6%.
• Employer paid life insurance - equal to 1x salary
• Employee may elect supplemental life insurance with low cost premiums up to 3x salary
• Adoption assistance
• LHI provides its full-time employees employer paid short-term disability and long-term disability coverage after 90 days of eligible employment
• Tuition reimbursement
• Student loan forgiveness

Equal Opportunity Employer
It is the policy of Lexington Health to provide equal opportunity of employment for all individuals, and to remain compliant with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. Lexington Health strives to provide a discrimination-free environment, and to recruit, select, on-board, and employ all employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including but not limited to, lactation. Lexington Health endeavors to upgrade and promote employees from within the hospital where possible and consistent with the employee's desires and abilities and the hospital's needs.